Hawken – Why We’re Excited!

Ever heard of Adhesive Games? Us neither! Well, that was until they came out of nowhere and slapped us round the chops with a stunning and stylish trailer for their upcoming indie title, Hawken. The game appears to be a fast paced, multiplayer FPS where giant robots endeavour to tear each other fresh input-holes. Hawken looks epic, with sharp lighting usage, a real grand-to-minute sense of proportion and keen attention to detail. And all this from a tiny team in very little time; it almost seems unbelievable…

Hawken’s first person perspective straps players in their own pneumatic, post-apocalyptic, vertical murder machine. The cockpit display is grainy but detailed with various switches, dials, screens & alarms, which will crap out if your mech takes too much flak. All these little details are designed to heighten player immersion, making you the pilot of your own anime-style robo-warrior. Adhesive’s control system seems realistic enough to create a sense of hulking heft while still being responsive enough to appeal to the high-octane, FPS mentalists.

Basic movement and turn speed obviously take a hit, but the addition of manga-type mech boost and a quick 180° turn aids mobility. There appears to be three distinct mecha-classes to choose from: a robust but slow armoured beast; a lithe, razor-quick machine; and a balanced all-rounder. Players can then further customize their vehicle by spending points in attributes such as defence, speed, boost etc. Items can also be carried and purchased in-game for that extra edge. So far we’ve only seen a basic turret item-wise, but there’s sure to be more. Mines, radar jammers, missile inhibitors, listening outposts, repair & recharge bays all being likely candidates. You can also expect an arsenal of futuristic weapon sets familiar to shooter fans i.e. sniper canons, rockets launchers, chain guns, the works. All these options should allow players to tailor their very own vertical-tank based on personal play-style and virtual-pilot skillset.